International: United Kingdom
UK won’t cook the books to hit its climate goals
23 May 2024
Announcement on next carbon budget comes after weeks of speculation the government would try and find more ‘headroom.’
BP and Shell ‘shaped’ UK carbon tax proposals, private emails show
13 May 2024
Internal documents expose how oil and gas majors were given the chance to influence a report by the Policy Exchange think tank.
UK's new climate action plan unlawful due to delivery risk
6 May 2024
Britain's latest climate action plan is unlawful because ministers were not told of the risk that key policies could not be delivered, London's High Court ruled.
Liz Truss book calls for climate laws to be abolished and boasts of effort to cancel UK COP summit
23 Apr 2024
The former UK prime minister attacks flagship climate deals and makes false claims about electric vehicles, Russia’s influence on energy policies, and net zero.
Food security threatened by extreme flooding, farmers warn
16 Apr 2024
The flooding and extreme weather linked to climate change will undermine UK food production unless farmers get more help, according to the National Farmers Union.
UK Government faces High Court challenge over ‘inadequate’ climate protection plans
16 Apr 2024
The case has been brought by an activist who lost his house to coastal erosion, a disability campaigner and Friends of the Earth.
UK emissions in 2023 fell to lowest level since 1879
13 Mar 2024
The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 5.7% in 2023 to their lowest level since 1879, according to new Carbon Brief analysis.
Rewilding Ireland: ‘Undoing the damage’ from a history of deforestation
4 Mar 2024
Eoghan Daltun has spent the past 14 years successfully rewilding 29 hectares (73 acres) of farmland on the Beara Peninsula in southwestern Ireland.
UK quits treaty that lets oil firms sue government
26 Feb 2024
The UK has withdrawn from an international treaty that lets fossil-fuel companies sue governments pursuing climate policies for billions in compensation for lost profits.
Rishi Sunak hits back at criticism of fleeting COP28 visit
5 Dec 2023
UK prime minister rejects suggestion half-day stay shows lack of ‘seriousness.’ Rishi Sunak defended his decision to only attend COP28 for a half a day, saying it would be wrong to “measure our impact here by hours spent.”
Green growth or degrowth: what is the right way to tackle climate change?
27 Nov 2023
Nearly all the world’s governments and vast numbers of its people are convinced that addressing human-induced climate change is essential if healthy societies are to survive.
UK manufacturers call for EU-aligned carbon border tax
14 Nov 2023
A new poll of UK businesses has found that almost three-quarters would support the introduction of a carbon border adjustment mechanism that mirrors the one coming into force across Europe.
UK watering down net zero policies 'will lead to rising deaths from global heating'
10 Nov 2023
The ‘watering down’ of net zero policies ‘will ensure that the number of deaths due to the impact of global heating on the UK population will keep on rising’, says climate scientist Bill McGuire.
Greta Thunberg at protest demanding oil chiefs pull their money out of politics
18 Oct 2023
Arrests have been made as protesters disrupted a conference at the InterContinental Hotel in central London where oil company CEOs are meeting.
Emissions from UK residents and businesses rose by 2% in 2022, figures suggest
11 Oct 2023
Residence-based emissions stood at 512 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022 , according to Office for National Statistics provisional data.
Attacks on net zero at UK Conservative Party conference alarm green-leaning MPs
9 Oct 2023
Green credentials used to be considered a vote-winner but rhetoric around net zero has changed.
UK industry risks falling foul of EU’s new carbon tax
4 Oct 2023
British businesses selling into the European Union are unprepared for the bloc’s new carbon tax and run the risk of penalties if they are not compliant, a leading advisory firm has warned.
Shell CEO under pressure from within on renewables shift
29 Sep 2023
Shell's CEO Wael Sawan has come under pressure over his strategy from within the energy company after two employees issued a rare open letter urging him not to scale back investments in renewable energy, sparking an internal debate.
UK greenlights North Sea oil and gas field amid climate scrutiny
28 Sep 2023
The UK has given the green-light to Rosebank, the country’s biggest untapped oil field, amid increasing scrutiny of the country’s climate credentials.
British Prime Minister likely to face legal challenges over net zero U-turn
25 Sep 2023
Rishi Sunak is likely to face a series of legal challenges aimed at thwarting his plans to U-turn on net zero policies amid further international condemnation of the proposals.
UK launches climate change programme targeting over 4 million Nigerians
8 Aug 2023
The United Kingdom has announced the launch of its programme, Propcom+, supporting climate and growth by addressing environmental, social, and economic challenges in Nigeria’s food and land-use system.
UK's North Sea move shows tensions between energy security, climate
3 Aug 2023
The United Kingdom now finds itself at the epicenter of global tensions between energy security and lofty climate goals, which are playing out ahead of the COP28 conference in Dubai.
Britain commits to hundreds of North Sea oil and gas licences
1 Aug 2023
Britain commits to granting hundreds of licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction, drawing criticism from environmental campaigners.
Britain overhauling planning to meet net zero targets
3 Jul 2023
Britain is planning to overhaul the country's planning system to make it easier to install overhead cables and pylons, to help the government reach its net zero targets.
UK police have new expanded powers to crack down on protests
3 Jul 2023
New and expanded powers for British police took effect on Sunday, including measures targeting activists who stop traffic and major building works with protests.
UK Climate Change Committee says country no longer a world leader
29 Jun 2023
Government backing for new oil and coal, airport expansion plans and slow progress on heat pumps show that the UK has lost its leadership on climate issues, a government watchdog warns.
More than 260 ‘overheating incidents’ in London hospitals
27 Jun 2023
UK Doctors warn of ‘dangerous consequences’ for patients and staff during extreme heatwaves, amid climate change fears.
Campaigners win right to challenge England’s food strategy
22 Jun 2023
Ministers broke the law by failing to make plans to cut consumption of meat and dairy in England, climate activists will argue in a legal challenge after they were granted permission for a full judicial review of the government’s food strategy.
Sudden heat increase in seas around UK and Ireland
21 Jun 2023
Some of the most intense marine heat increases on Earth have developed in seas around the UK and Ireland, the European Space Agency (Esa) says.
Britain pledges funding for carbon dioxide measurement project in Brazilian Amazon
26 May 2023
Britain has announced new funding for a landmark scientific experiment deep in Brazil's Amazon rainforest that will measure the impact of rising carbon dioxide levels on trees, the British embassy said.
UK sued over plan to import more polluting Australian beef
25 May 2023
Campaigners have challenged the UK government over its assessment of an imminent free trade agreement with Australia, which critics say ignored the full climate impact of meat farming and consumption.
‘Polite queuing’ will not decarbonise UK supergrid, says energy watchdog boss
18 May 2023
Britain will not achieve its ambition to decarbonise the electricity grid by the middle of the 2030s with the current system of “polite queuing”, the boss of energy watchdog Ofgem has said.
Greenwashing era is over, say ad agencies, as regulators get tough
17 May 2023
Across the advertising industry, agencies are wrestling with their role in greenwashing scandals and their support for clients driving the climate and nature crises.
BP invests in carbon capture project
12 Apr 2023
This week, Harbour Energy announced it is teaming up with British oil and gas multinational BP on the Viking carbon capture project in the UK.
UK Government backs first 20 green hydrogen projects
31 Mar 2023
Projects under development by Carlton Power, Octopus Hydrogen, ScottishPower, SSE Renewables and ERM Dolphyn are among those shortlisted for support under the UK Government’s electrolytic hydrogen scheme.
Some UK lawyers vow to not prosecute climate activists
27 Mar 2023
Leading UK lawyers say they will refuse to prosecute climate protesters or represent new fossil fuel projects.
Planting this could feed millions and lock away tons of carbon
23 Mar 2023
The world hungers for more food while wildlife yearns for untouched habitats. So goes the conflict between our seemingly insatiable need for agricultural land, razing forests to make way for cattle and crops.
Britain's Drax pauses $2.5 billion biomass carbon capture plans
23 Mar 2023
British power generator Drax will pause its planned 2 billion pound ($2.45 billion) UK investment in bioenergy with carbon capture and storage until it receives more clarity on government support, it said on Tuesday.
‘Dead’ electric car batteries find a second life powering cities
15 Mar 2023
Last month, a small warehouse in the English city of Nottingham received the crucial final components for a project that leverages the power of used EV batteries to create a new kind of circular economy.
UK pension funds target BP and Shell directors over climate goals- FT
13 Mar 2023
Two of the UK's largest pension schemes will vote against the renewal of top directors at BP Plc (BP.L) and Shell Plc (SHEL.L) at their annual meetings unless both companies strengthen commitments to tackling carbon emissions, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
UK emissions fall 3.4% in 2022 as coal use drops to lowest level since 1757
7 Mar 2023
The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.4% in 2022, according to new Carbon Brief analysis, ending a post-Covid rebound.
Can a new university breathe life into Britain’s climate education
28 Feb 2023
Even before the United States entered the Second World War, American schools were preparing students for conflict.
Carbon-absorbing underwater meadows planted
24 Feb 2023
Five million seagrass seeds will be planted off Wales' coast to create climate change-fighting underwater meadows.
The climate benefits of a four-day workweek
22 Feb 2023
There's growing interest in the benefits of a four-day workweek for productivity and employee wellbeing, but the picture is more complicated when it comes to climate change.
All major road building projects in Wales are scrapped
16 Feb 2023
All major road building projects in Wales have been scrapped over environmental concerns.
UK politician attacks 15-minute city concept in parliament
16 Feb 2023
UK member of parliament Nick Fletcher has ignited a debate about 15-minute cities after stating that they "will take away personal freedoms".
Climate targets 'may mean higher taxes': Lord Stern
14 Feb 2023
The UK has made good progress towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 but getting there may need higher taxes.
Shell lawsuit: Institutional investors back legal challenge over climate risk
13 Feb 2023
A group of European institutional investors is backing a novel London lawsuit against energy giant Shell’s board over alleged climate mismanagement in a case that could have far-reaching implications for how companies tackle emissions.
Former British high commissioner to NZ slams UK government’s environmental “vandalism”
12 Dec 2022
Former British high commissioner to New Zealand Laura Clarke has condemned the UK government’s decision to approve a coal mine in Cumbria as “vandalism and self-harm.”
£35m carbon neutral high school opens in Cheltenham
5 Dec 2022
A £35m carbon neutral high school has opened its doors to pupils.
Climate risk suburbs: The shocking truth about Aussie house prices
Today 10:30am
Australia’s property market is hurtling towards a climate reckoning, with billions of dollars in potential losses looming.
Al Gore on China’s climate rise: ‘I would not have seen this coming’
Today 10:30am
Twenty-five years ago, Al Gore was in the final stretch of his U.S. presidential campaign, just weeks away from an election that would ultimately slip through his fingers despite winning the popular vote.
China aims to nearly double battery storage by 2027 in $35 billion plan
Tue 16 Sep 2025
China is looking to almost double its so-called new energy storage capacity to 180 gigawatts (GW) by 2027, according to an industry plan announced by authorities on Friday.
One city’s race to ‘solarise everything we possibly can’
Today 10:30am
Bordeaux is quickly transforming itself into France’s top solar-powered city, banking on innovations like transparent panels that preserve its historic architecture.
Carney government noncommittal about Canada meeting 2030 climate goals
9 Sep 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney would not say Monday whether Canada will meet its climate goals under the Paris agreement by 2030, as his government faces criticism over his emission-reduction plans.
Tax rebalancing in Indian energy sector: Renewables cheaper, coal costlier
Fri 12 Sep 2025
Industry experts and developers have hail GST cuts on clean energy equipment, saying it will be a major enabler for India’s ambitious climate goals.
China, climate crisis and COP31: Five takeaways from the Pacific Islands Forum
Tue 16 Sep 2025
A key climate crisis funding treaty struck as Pacific leaders backed Australia’s bid for Cop31 despite some criticism of its environmental credentials.
Iconic Antarctic species at risk amid 'regime shift', with 'rapid and self-perpetuating changes'
22 Aug 2025
Scientists say there is emerging evidence of abrupt and potentially unstoppable changes in the Antarctic environment.
South African environmental groups push to block Shell’s new wells – how world court opinion might help
Wed 17 Sep 2025
The International Court of Justice’s landmark advisory opinion on climate change has come in handy for South African communities that are trying to stop global oil company Shell from drilling for oil and gas off the coast.
Brazil implores businesses to attend COP30 climate summit, despite 'second thoughts' amid Trump backlash
5 Sep 2025
November's COP30 summit comes at a precarious time for climate action, as companies back away from environmental initiatives, and attacks on green energy by President Trump.
UN pushes countries for new climate targets this month
9 Sep 2025
The United Nations urged countries on Wednesday to set more ambitious climate plans during this month, seeking to pressure major economies including the EU and China ahead of this year's U.N. climate summit.
